Fairfax Personal Injury Lawyer
You did not choose this. Someone else was careless, and you are the one living with the consequences — the treatment, the time off, the bills that arrive anyway.
Virginia has two rules that make these claims harder here than almost anywhere else. Both are worth understanding before you speak to an insurer.
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Virginia State Bar, admitted 22 years. 20+ years in Fairfax County courts.
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Tell me about your case.
The first conversation is free and usually takes about fifteen minutes.
No cost and no obligation. Prefer to call? (703) 585-3323
Two years, and then the door closes.
Virginia gives you two years from the date of the injury to file. Miss it and the claim is gone, however strong it was.
Two years sounds long. It is not, once treatment is ongoing and an insurer is taking its time.
Contributory negligence.
Virginia is one of a small handful of states that still applies contributory negligence. If you are found even slightly at fault, you can be barred from recovering anything at all.
Not reduced. Barred. It is why the other side will work hard to put a share of the blame on you, and why what you say early matters so much.
Where someone else’s carelessness caused it.
Car and motorcycle accidents
The most common, and the ones where the fault question gets fought hardest because of the contributory negligence rule.
Slip and fall
Premises claims turn on what the owner knew, how long the hazard was there, and what was done about it.
Workplace injuries
Sometimes a compensation claim, sometimes a claim against a third party, and occasionally both running alongside each other.
Medical malpractice
Where treatment fell below the standard of care and caused harm. These need expert evidence and early assessment.
Product liability
Where something you bought was defective or dangerous and injured you using it as intended.
What you can recover
Medical costs past and future, lost income and reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, property damage, and punitive damages where the conduct was gross.
Contingency. You pay if I win.
Personal injury work is taken on a contingency basis. There is no fee unless the claim succeeds, which means the assessment I give you at the start is an honest one — I have no reason to take a case I do not believe in.
Personal injury claims in Virginia.
How long do I have to file?
Two years from the date of the injury, in most cases. Some situations shorten that, so it is worth checking early rather than assuming.
I might have been partly at fault. Is it hopeless?
Not necessarily, but it is serious. Virginia bars recovery where you are even slightly at fault, so how fault is established becomes the center of the case. Tell me the full picture and I will be straight with you.
What should I do right after an accident?
Get medical attention even if you feel fine. Photograph the scene, get contact details for witnesses, and do not give a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster before speaking to a lawyer.
What is my case worth?
It depends on the severity of the injury, the treatment required, income lost, and the impact on your life. Anyone who gives you a number before seeing the medical records is guessing.
I did not go to hospital straight away. Does that ruin it?
No, but it makes things harder. A gap between the accident and treatment is the first thing an insurer points at. It can be explained, and it should be, properly.
How long will it take?
Some claims settle in a few months. Where liability is disputed or the injuries are still being treated, a year or more is realistic.
If there were charges too
Where the collision also produced a criminal charge, see reckless driving with an accident.
Fairfax · Prince William · Loudoun · Fauquier · Arlington · Stafford · Spotsylvania, and courts throughout Virginia. See the full list.
We are here to help you navigate this.
The first conversation is free. Plan for about 15 minutes — sometimes longer. My clock isn’t ticking while we’re talking.
Bring your summons and tell me what happened in your own words. I’m happy to keep answering your questions even after the consult, especially if you’re a nice person. My clients usually are.
And if I’m not the right fit for your case, I’ll tell you.